by Jorge L. Ortiz, USAToday

by Jorge L. Ortiz, USAToday

OAKLAND - The dank, cramped space off an O.co Coliseum hallway that serves as the Oakland Athletics' news conference room has been getting a workout lately.

Typically used only for manager Bob Melvin's postgame briefing, the space hosted Jeff Samardzija's introductory gathering with the local news media Saturday, then had several more participants Sunday as the club trotted out its six newly announced All-Stars.

The oft-overlooked A's are making it nearly impossible not to pay attention. They even have a National League All-Star among their ranks.

Samardzija, the prize catch of the blockbuster trade that also sent fellow starter Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs to Oakland for three minor leaguers, found out he had earned his first All-Star nod before Sunday's game. He then lived up to the honor by shutting down the Toronto Blue Jays as the A's prevailed 4-2 to complete a four-game sweep.

Combining a fastball that consistently hit 95 mph with a diving split-finger fastball, Samardzija retired 14 of 15 batters at one point and pitched seven innings of one-run ball in his Oakland debut as the A's extended their stretch of days with the best record in the majors to 19 in a row.

"You don't want to mess it up,'' Samardzija said of going from the last-place Cubs to Oakland. "The fact they wanted me and came and got me when they were already in first place, I'll take it. It's better than anything else you could ask for.''

Samardzija and Hammel, both with ERAs under 3.00, join a rotation that includes a newly minted All-Star in Scott Kazmir, as well as talented right-hander Sonny Gray. The A's are so stacked with arms they demoted lefty Tommy Milone to the minors even though he had gone 6-0 with a 2.62 ERA in his last 11 starts.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson, left fielder Yoenis Cespedes, first baseman Brandon Moss and catcher Derek Norris also earned All-Star spots, becoming the first Oakland position players invited to the game since catcher Ramon Hernandez in 2003. Closer Sean Doolittle rounds out Oakland's largest contingent to the Midsummer Classic since 1975. All but Kazmir are first-timers.

"This is great there's so many representatives. I feel like it's very deserving,'' said Donaldson, who may also compete in the Home Run Derby. "I've been saying this for years, that we've had guys on this team that are very talented and eventually you'd see the hard work that we put in pay off.''

The Blue Jays arrived in town as the American League East leaders and were knocked off their perch largely through the exploits of the Oakland pitching staff, which had the league's best ERA (3.16) even before the reinforcements arrived.

Toronto scored four runs in four games.

October in mind?

The high price the Cubs extracted for their two top starters â?? top prospects Addison Russell and Billy McKinney, along with Class AAA starter Dan Straily â?? was regarded throughout baseball as a sign the A's are pulling out all the stops to go deep in the playoffs.

Oakland won the last two AL West crowns, only to be bounced out in the Division Series by the Detroit Tigers, and has advanced past the first round only once in general manager Billy Beane's previous 16 seasons at his post.

Beane disregarded such talk as "arrogant'' â?? the second-place Los Angeles Angels, after all, are only 3Â½ games behind â?? but it's also a sign of the respect the A's now command.

"They made that trade for us,'' Tigers starter and A's nemesis Justin Verlander told reporters. "No doubt about it in my mind."

Regardless of the bigger picture, Oakland has acquired a pitcher with ace-like qualities thrilled to get a three-run lead by the fourth inning and take it from there, a rare luxury when he was with the punchless Cubs.

Samardzija exhibited an emotional, passionate demeanor on the mound, but an easygoing manner before the game in the clubhouse, blending in with his new teammates â?? especially the pitchers â?? in a way that belied the fact he had joined them less than 24 hours earlier.

"They're my kind of guys, man,'' Samardzija said. "I think every time I've been (analyzed) my problems were always that I was a little too cocky and a little bit too emotional. I look around the locker room and I go, 'Hey, these guys fit me perfectly.' I love watching these guys play.''